Losing weight often seems like the right motivation for getting to the gym, but in the long run, your dieting efforts may be destroying your drive. The reason so many give up on their New Year’s Resolutions come February often isn’t about willpower, but more about their “why.”

When your “why” is weight loss, then the second the scale doesn’t budge, it’s tempting to throw in the towel on new self-care patterns. Instead, focus on the internal rewards of new health-supporting habits like strength, joy, energy, and improved Mental health.

Shift your “why” to how the new behavior makes you feel, and you may experience the long-term consistency you’ve dreamed of.

Here are five signs your motivation may be hindered by your desire to lose weight:

1. You engage in exercise you hate.

When weight loss is a driving motivator, many people select forms of movement that are miserable.

That usually works for a few weeks. Then all of a sudden it’s easy to find yourself saying “yes” to competing interests.

If you find yourself saying, “I just don’t have the motivation to work out today,” then it’s a great sign that you don’t enjoy what you have planned, and it’s time to find a new activity.

We tend to gravitate towards activities that are fun. If scrolling on social media is more enjoyable than being active, then social media it is!

Do this instead: What types of movement are as fun as scrolling on your phone? Walking or playing pickleball with a friend? Playing tag with your kids? Find forms of activity that bring you joy.

What are ways to move your body that you look forward to? Notice how you feel before, during, and after. How does moving your body influence your mood, stress levels, energy levels, and general contentment?

2. You believe you have to exercise for a certain amount of time for it to “count.”

It’s easy to skip out on movement when you believe you don’t have time. But maybe you don’t have time because you are under the impression that you have to move your body for a long time to reach a certain weight goal.

Good news: When you take the focus off losing weight, you don’t have to stress about how long you work out. That means that everything “counts” and you can go for as long or as short as you’d like.

Do this instead: Instead of focusing on going for X minutes or X number of calories burned, make your timing decisions based on other benefits of physical activity, like reduced anxiety or stress.

How many minutes do you need to engage with this activity to experience joy or contentment, or to feel less stressed? How many minutes until you start experiencing those powerful endorphins? Go for that long.

Also, feel free to break up bouts of movement throughout your day, or slow down your pace if it makes the movement more enjoyable.

3. You believe you need to skip out on your favorite foods.

If you aren’t enjoying your favorite foods on a somewhat regular or consistent basis, then you’re going to find yourself in a yo-yo dieting pattern.

Thoughts like “I need to be really good today” usually backfire. Researchers have found that dietary restraint is often a trigger for out-of-control eating behaviors.

Do this instead: Give yourself permission to eat enjoyable foods. Do you get a sweet craving after dinner? Then have dessert. Remind yourself you can eat dessert every day. It’s actually the belief that you “shouldn’t be eating this” that drives out-of-control eating behavior. Permission is key!

4. You are miserably counting calories, steps, or miles.

Counting and tracking are motivating and encouraging for some, but for most, that motivation is short-lived.

Researchers have found that motivation for tracking steps from a smart watch falls off about 3-6 months after starting. That makes sense because it’s a form of extrinsic motivation.

If you’ve ever attempted to record your dietary intake, then you know just how draining that can feel. Users report tracking to be tedious, boring, and can trigger problematic eating behaviors.

Do this instead: Tune into your body’s natural cues that will tell you when to eat and how much. No more tracking needed! Notice what time of the day you tend to get hungry and bring food along so that you’re ready. Enjoy a balance of food groups, but don’t overanalyze it.

Create opportunities to move your body in enjoyable ways, but also give yourself full permission to stop and go home. Listen to your body to determine what activities you’d like to do each day and at what intensity. Ditch the “shoulds” and “oughts” and let your body decide instead.

5. You use the scale as a measure of success.

While it may seem that stepping on the scale each morning helps you stay motivated, it can also backfire. Not only can it lead to obsessing about weight, but it may be tempting to make decisions about health-related habits based on what the scale says. This can lead to on-again, off-again patterns.

Do this instead: Don’t let the scale make decisions for you. Consider no longer weighing yourself altogether

Find other measures of health and well-being to track your progress. Instead of using weight as a marker for health, find other markers like fitness level. Are you less winded going up a set of stairs? Success! Are you less stressed at work? Success! Are you sleeping better at night since starting your dog-walking routine? Success!